Calamospondylus Temporal range: Early Cretaceous, | |
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Replica of specimen NHMUK R.186, which may belong to C. oweni | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Clade: | Dinosauria |
Clade: | Saurischia |
Clade: | Theropoda |
Clade: | Pennaraptora |
Clade: | † Oviraptorosauria |
Genus: | † Calamospondylus Fox, 1866 |
Species: | †C. oweni |
Binomial name | |
†Calamospondylus oweni Fox, 1866 | |
Calamospondylus (meaning "quill vertebrae") is a genus of theropod dinosaur. It lived during the Early Cretaceous and its fossils were found on the Isle of Wight in southern England. The type species is C. oweni.
The holotype was collected by William Darwin Fox in 1865 and Calamospondylus oweni was described anonymously by amateur paleontologist William D. Fox in 1866 on the basis of a sacrum and associated pelvic elements found on the Isle of Wight in the layers of the Wessex Formation. [1]
Several authors (e.g. Woodward & Sherborn 1890; Swinton 1936; Steel 1970) regarded Calamospondylus as a nomen nudum for Aristosuchus and therefore based on the same specimen as the Aristosuchus holotype. [2] [3] [4] However, as noted by Naish (2002), size discrepancies between the holotypes of Calamospondylus oweni and Aristosuchus pusillus as well as letters of correspondence between Richard Owen and Reverend William Fox demonstrate that C. oweni is based on a different specimen than Aristosuchus. [5] [6]
A second species, Calamospondylus foxi, was named by Lydekker (1889) [7] and was moved to a separate genus, Calamosaurus , by Lydekker (1891). [8]
More remains have since been found, including fragmentary vertebrae collected by Kai Bailey in 2014 and specimen NHMUK R.186, a tibia. [6] Both specimens are on display at the Dinosaur Expeditions, Conservation and Palaeoart Centre near Brighstone, Isle of Wight.
NHMUK R.186 was discovered by William D. Fox in 1865 or 1866 and was first assigned to Hypsilophodon foxii by Lydekker (1888). [9] Lydekker (1891) moved NHMUK R.186 to Aristosuchus pusillis , [8] and Galton (1973) agreed with this classification. [10] Welles & Long (1974) referred it to the Ornithomimidae, [11] while Norman (1990), Kirkland et al. (1998) and Long and Molnar (1998) referred NHMUK R.186 to Coelurosauria. [12] [13] [14] Galton and Molnar (2005) noted the similarities of NHMUK R.186 to the holotype of Coelurus fragilis , [15] and Allain et al. (2014) agreed with the placement of NHMUK R.186 within Coelurosauria. [16]
Naish et al. (2001) tentatively referred the tibia to Calamosaurus foxi , [17] and NHMUK R.186 has since been moved to Calamospondylus oweni. [18]
As a possible oviraptorosaurian, Calamospondylus would have been a small, agile, bipedal carnivore. Naish et al. (2001) estimate the living animal would have been around 1–2.5 meters (3.3–8.2 ft) long. [17]
Hypsilophodon is a neornithischian dinosaur genus from the Early Cretaceous period of England. It has traditionally been considered an early member of the group Ornithopoda, but recent research has put this into question.
Dinosaur Isle is a purpose-built dinosaur museum located in Sandown on the Isle of Wight in southern England.
The Isle of Wight is one of the richest dinosaur localities in Europe, with over 20 species of dinosaur having been recognised from the early Cretaceous Period, some of which were first identified on the island, as well as the contemporary non-dinosaurian species of crocodile, turtle and pterosaur.
Valdosaurus is a genus of bipedal herbivorous iguanodont ornithopod dinosaur found on the Isle of Wight and elsewhere in England, Spain and possibly also Romania. It lived during the Early Cretaceous.
Polacanthus, deriving its name from the Ancient Greek polys-/πολύς- "many" and akantha/ἄκανθα "thorn" or "prickle", is an early armoured, spiked, plant-eating ankylosaurian dinosaur from the early Cretaceous period of England.
Neovenator is a genus of carcharodontosaurian theropod dinosaur. It is known from several skeletons found in the Early Cretaceous (Hauterivian-Barremian) Wessex Formation on the south coast of the Isle of Wight, southern England. It is one of the best known theropod dinosaurs from the Early Cretaceous of Europe.
Mirischia is a small genus of compsognathid theropod dinosaur from the Albian stage of Brazil.
Altispinax is a genus of large predatory theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous period of what is now the Wadhurst Clay Formation of East Sussex, England.
Eotyrannus is a genus of tyrannosauroid theropod dinosaur hailing from the Early Cretaceous Wessex Formation beds, included in Wealden Group, located in the southwest coast of the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom. The remains (MIWG1997.550), consisting of assorted skull, axial skeleton and appendicular skeleton elements, from a juvenile or subadult, found in a plant debris clay bed, were described by Hutt et al. in early 2001. The etymology of the generic name refers to the animal's classification as an early tyrannosaur or "tyrant lizard", while the specific name honors the discoverer of the fossil.
Yaverlandia is a genus of maniraptoran dinosaur. Known from a partial fossil skull found in Lower Cretaceous strata of the Wessex Formation on the Isle of Wight. it was described as the earliest known member of the pachycephalosaurid family, but research by Darren Naish shows it to have actually been a theropod, seemingly a maniraptoran. The type species is Y. bitholus.
Aristosuchus is a genus of small coelurosaurian dinosaur whose name was derived from the Greek ἄριστος and σουχος. It shared many characteristics with birds.
Calamosaurus was a genus of small theropod dinosaur from the Barremian-age Lower Cretaceous Wessex Formation of the Isle of Wight, England. It is based on two cervical vertebrae, collected by Reverend William Fox.
Valdoraptor is a genus of theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous. Its fossils were found in England. It is known only from bones of the feet. The holotype, BMNH R2559, was found near Cuckfield in layers of the Tunbridge Wells Sand Formation dating from the late Valanginian. The specimen is damaged lacking parts of the upper and lower ends. It has a conserved length of 215 millimetres (8.5 in) and an estimated length of 240 millimetres (9.4 in). This genus is paleontologically significant for being the first ornithomimosaur specimen known from England and represents the earliest record of ornithomimosaurs.
Eucamerotus was a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Barremian-age Lower Cretaceous Wessex Formation (Wealden) of the Isle of Wight, England.
Oplosaurus was a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Barremian-age Lower Cretaceous Wessex Formation of the Isle of Wight, England. It is known from a single tooth usually referred to the contemporaneous "wastebasket taxon" Pelorosaurus, although there is no solid evidence for this.
Thecocoelurus is a dubious genus of theropod dinosaur from the early Cretaceous period of England. The phylogenetic placement of this genus is uncertain, and it has been referred to an oviraptosaur, an ornithomimosaur, or a therizinosaur by different researchers throughout its history.
The Wessex Formation is a fossil-rich English geological formation that dates from the Berriasian to Barremian stages of the Early Cretaceous. It forms part of the Wealden Group and underlies the younger Vectis Formation and overlies the Durlston Formation. The dominant lithology of this unit is mudstone with some interbedded sandstones. It is part of the strata of the Wessex Basin, exposed in both the Isle of Purbeck and the Isle of Wight. While the Purbeck sections are largely barren of vertebrate remains, the Isle of Wight sections are well known for producing the richest and most diverse fauna in Early Cretaceous Europe.
"Megalosaurus" dunkeri is a dubious species of theropod dinosaur, known only from a single tooth.
Ceratosuchops is a genus of spinosaurid from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) of Britain.